On June 17, 1895 (Meiji 28), Taiwan came under the rule of the Empire of Japan. In the following year on December 3, 1896, the first Shinto shrine was created in Taiwan. This was actually an already existing Koxinga Shrine located in Tainan but renamed .
Since then, Shinto shrines were built in the major cities between the Meiji and Taishō period, while the majority of Shinto shrines in Taiwan were built from the late 1930s until Japan's defeat in World War II. In total, 204 shrines were built in Taiwan–66 of which were officially sanctioned by the Japanese Empire.
Although many shrines in the such as Hokkaidō had such as the which consisted of , and ; the Sun Goddess Amaterasu; Meiji Emperor etc., in Taiwan, most shrines had Prince Yoshihisa as a Saijin. Prince Yoshihisa was sent to Taiwan to subjugate the anti-Japanese rebellion but fell ill and died from malaria in Tainan in 1895. This fate was so similar to that of the legendary Prince Yamato Takeru that Prince Yoshihisa was made a of Taiwan. In 1901 (Meiji 34), the Taiwan Shrine (later Taiwan Grand Shrine) was built and Prince Yoshihisa along with the Three Pioneer Kami were enshrined. Amaterasu was later included in the shrine. The shrines in Taiwan followed in its lead and Prince Yoshihisa became a Saijin in most shrines throughout Taiwan. Furthermore, in Tainan, the place of Prince Yoshihisa's demise, the Tainan Shrine was built.
After Japan's defeat in World War II, the shrines were either abandoned, destroyed or converted into Chinese Martyr Shrines. In 2015, Gaoshi Shrine was reconstructed and became the first Shinto shrine built in Taiwan after World War II.
List of shrines Below is a list of Shinto shrines which were built during Japanese colonial rule. The shrines were ranked according to their importance such as Grand Shrine (官幣大社 kokuhei taisha), Small Shrine (国幣小社 Kokuhei Shōsha) and Martyr Shrine (護国神社 gokoku jinja), the last of which was designated by the Governor-General of Taiwan.
Taihoku Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deityTaihoku官大Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(建功神社)Taihoku県社台湾での戦死者・殉職者等Taiwan Martyr Shrine(台湾護国神社)Taihoku護国台湾出身の護国の英霊(宜蘭神社)Giran district県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(基隆神社)Kiryū県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu, Ōmononushi no Mikoto, Emperor Sutoku(台北稲荷神社)Taihoku郷社Ukanomitama no Kami(瑞芳神社)Kiron district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(羅東神社)Ratō district Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(汐止神社)Shichisei district Prince Yoshihisa, Ōnamuchi no Mikoto, Amaterasu, Emperor Meiji, Ukanomitama no Mikoto(新荘神社)Shinshō district Prince Yoshihisa, Emperor Meiji, Ukanomitama no Kami(海山神社)Kaizan district Prince Yoshihisa, Ōnamuchi no Mikoto, Emperor Meiji(淡水神社)Tansui district Prince Yoshihisa, Emperor Meiji, Ōmononushi no Mikoto, Emperor Sutoku(文山神社)Bunzan district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(蘇澳神社)Suō district Prince Yoshihisa, Emperor MeijiŌgon Shrine(黄金神社)Kiryū district Ōkuninushi no Mikoto, Kanayamahiko no Mikoto, Sarutahiko no Mikoto(円山水神社)Taihoku Prince Yoshihisa
Shinchiku Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deity (新竹神社)Shinchiku国小Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(通霄神社)Byōritsu district Prince Yoshihisa, Amaterasu(桃園神社)Tōen district県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Toyōke no Ōmikami, Emperor Meiji(苗栗神社)Byōritsu district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(中壢神社)Chūreki district Prince Yoshihisa, Toyōke no Ōmikami(頭份神社)Chikunan district Prince Yoshihisa, Toyōke no Ōmikami, Emperor Meiji(竹南神社)Chikunan district Prince Yoshihisa, Ōkunimitama no Mikoto, Toyōke no Ōmikami(大湖神社)(大湖郡) Prince Yoshihisa, Ōkunimitama no Mikoto, Emperor Meiji(竹東神社)Chikutō district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji
Taichū Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deity(台中神社)Taichū国小Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(彰化神社)Shōka郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(員林神社)Inrin district郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(清水神社)Taikō District郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(豊原神社)Toyohara district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(東勢神社)Tōsei district Prince Yoshihisa, Ōnamuchi no Mikoto, Emperor Meiji, Ōyamazumi no Kami, Ōwatatsumi no Kami(竹山神社)Chikuzan district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(北斗神社)Hokuto district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(田中神社)Inrin district Prince Yoshihisa, Emperor Meiji(鹿港神社)Shōka district Prince Yoshihisa, Emperor Meiji, Kotoshironushi no Mikoto, Ōwatatsumi no Kami(秀水神社)Shōka district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Meiji(能高神社)Nōkō District Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(南投神社)Nantō district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(魚池神社)Niitaka district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami
Tainan Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deityTainan Shrine(台南神社)Tainan官中Prince YoshihisaKagi Shrine(嘉義神社)Kagi国小Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, AmaterasuKaizan Shrine(開山神社)Tainan県社Tei Seikō (Koxinga)(北港神社)Hokukō district(北港郡)郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(新営神社)(新営郡)郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Ukanomitama no Mikoto(五間厝神社)Kobi district Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(南靖神社)Kagi district Ōnamuchi no Mikoto, Amaterasu(阿里山神社)Kagi district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Ōyamazumi no Mikoto, Kagutsuchi no Mikoto, Mizuhanome no Kami, Shinatsuhiko no Mikoto(北門神社)Hokumon district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(東石神社)Tōseki district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(曽文神社)Sobun District Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(新化神社)Shinka district Prince Yoshihisa, Amaterasu, Toyōke no Ōmikami, Emperor Meiji(斗六神社)Toroku district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(林内神社)Toroku district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Toyōke no Ōmikami
Takao Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deityTakao Shrine(高雄神社)Takao県社Prince Yoshihisa, Ōmononushi no Mikoto, Emperor Sutoku(阿緱神社)Heitō県社Prince Yoshihisa(岡山神社)Kōzan district郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu, Emperor Meiji(潮州神社)Chōshū district郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Amaterasu, Toyōke no Ōmikami, Ōkuninushi no Kami(東港神社)Tōkō district郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(鳳山神社)Hōzan district郷社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(里港神社)Heitō district Prince Yoshihisa, Amaterasu, Mizuhanome no Kami(佳冬神社)Tōkō district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Amaterasu(旗山神社)Kizan district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami, Emperor Antoku(恒春神社)Kōshun district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami
Hōko Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deity(澎湖神社)Makō subprefecture(馬公支庁)県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami
Taitō Prefecture Shrine nameLocationTypeEnshrined deity(台東神社)Taitō district県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(里壟社) (卑南祠) (鹿野神社)Shikano district無格社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami (加走湾祠)
Karenkō Prefecture Shrine nameLocationRankEnshrined deityKarenkō ShrineKaren district県社Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(吉野神社)Karen district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(豊田神社)Karen district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(林田神社)Karen district Prince Yoshihisa, Three Pioneer Kami(佐久間神社)Karen district Ōnamuchi no Mikoto, Samata Sakuma(寿社)
Enshrined deities JapaneseRōmajiEnglish鄭成功Tei SeikōKoxinga能久親王Yoshihisa ShinnōPrince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa開拓三神Kaitaku SanjinThree Pioneer Kami天照大神Amaterasu ŌmikamiAmaterasu豊受大神Toyouke no ŌmikamiToyouke-hime佐久間 左馬太SAKUMA, SamataSakuma Samata明治天皇Meiji TennōEmperor Meiji崇徳天皇Sutoku TennōEmperor Sutoku安徳天皇Antoku TennōEmperor Antoku
大国主神/大国主命/大己貴命 Ōkuninushi no Kami/Mikoto, Ōnamuchi no Mikoto 大物主命 Ōmononushi no Mikoto 倉稲魂神/倉稲魂命 Ukanomitama no Kami/Mikoto 弥都波能売神 Mizuhanome no Kami 金山彦命 Kanayamahiko no Mikoto 猿田彦命 Sarutahiko no Mikoto 大国魂命 Ōkunimitama no Mikoto 大綿津見神 Ōwatatsumi no Kami 事代主命 Kotoshironushi no Mikoto 大山祇神/大山祇命 Ōyamazumi no Kami/Mikoto 火具津智命 Kagutsuchi no Mikoto 科津彦命 Shinatsuhiko no Mikoto
See also Shinto Shinto shrine Shinto in Taiwan Sugiura Shigemine Taiwan under Japanese rule Political divisions of Taiwan (1895-1945) Governor-General of Taiwan Formosan Army
References